The present invention relates generally to apparatus for supporting a person in an elevated position within a tree, and more particularly to such apparatus which also provides support to the person when climbing the tree.
Hunting, even with modern tools, demands patience, stealth, and attentiveness of the hunter. For the hunter to even have an opportunity to strike the game, be it with rifle, carbine, or bow, it is essential that the targeted game come within range of the hunter. There are two main approaches to acquiring the game: stalking or lying in wait.
The hunter may lie in wait at ground level behind vegetation cover or within a hunting blind. However, ground level positions generally offer limited visibility, as well as a limited range of coverage. Moreover, because the game's field of view is generally directed at ground level, greater camouflage and concealment must be employed. To give a more expansive field of view while at the same time employing environmental camouflage, many hunters chose to conceal themselves at an elevated position within the branches of a tree.
Tree mounted hunting has demonstrated its effectiveness for centuries, and is particularly useful for bow hunting, where the effective range is generally less than that for rifle hunting. Reaching the elevated position in the tree, however, presents obvious difficulties to the hunter. First, the hunter must bring his weapon and accessory tools in the ascent, a task complicated by the need to use all four limbs in successfully climbing the tree. Second, once in place on the tree trunk, the hunter must remain still and quiet for extended periods, sometimes for hours at a time. To address these needs numerous tree seats, tree stands, and ascenders have been developed for hunters. Yet the hunter's needs are broader than the lineman's or the steeplejack's, as hunting will often take place at a distance from public roads, placing demands on the compactness and weight of the device. Furthermore, because the tree seat will be used through hours of stealth, the seat should restrain the hunter even through periods of intermittent slumber.
What is needed is a lightweight and compact tree seat which also assists a hunter in ascending a tree, while at the same time serving as a restraint against unintended descent.